The debate over California's sanctuary state law again was a hot topic during Thursday night’s Palm Desert City Council meeting. But rather than a fight between those in support and those against, it was people on both sides of the issue versus the city leaders.

More than 20 speakers, hailing from Palm Desert and other Coachella Valley and Inland Empire cities, were passionately divided on their views, yet united on one issue: the silence of councilmembers on the controversial topic. Just one speaker asked for no action at all.

While it would be illegal for the city to opt out of Senate Bill 54, which disallows local law enforcement from helping the federal government enforce immigration violations, a small but vocal group has been repeatedly asking the council to declare a stance on the issue.

“I felt (the council) was very derogatory to all speakers on both sides of the issue,” said Nathan Miller, the founder of “No Sanctuary” based in Corona. “The council does have an opportunity to speak as council members and they do have the opportunity to put things on the next agenda and it is notable that they didn’t, even though they knew we would be there.”

Those who oppose the bill argue that immigrants who are convicted criminals here illegally shouldn’t be allowed to live in the United States. They want the city to take a stand to push the county and state governments to adhere to federal law. Those who support the sanctuary bill argue that the city needs to be vocal in their support of the bill to create a feeling of safety in the community for immigrants.

Eric Lemus, who works at a local nonprofit that assists immigrants in the community, said that many Palm Desert residents have reached out to him in the past two months about confusion surrounding SB54 and the uncertainty they feel since the city of Palm Desert won’t take a position on it.

“Why are you going to have a community in fear and anxiety and living day by day like that is terrible,” Lemus said. “I see their faces. You have pockets of (immigrant) families living in Palm Desert. They are scared. That is not a way to have your community living in fear. It is a very sad thing that is happening. You can help your community out.”

The conversation began at the April 26 council meeting when Ryan Landmann, a Palm Desert resident, spoke during public comment asking council to opt out of the bill. The fire grew hotter during the May 10 meeting when more Palm Desert residents, this time backed by the anti-sanctuary group called “No Sanctuary” based in the Inland Empire, once again asked for the issue to be placed on a future agenda. At present, the issue is not planned for a future agenda item.

The city of Palm Desert issued a statement that said it has “traditionally avoided taking symbolic positions on divisive political topics outside its purview” and plans to keep with that tradition so not to “further deepen the already worrisome divisions without our community and nation.”

The council gave the public three opportunities to comment during the May 24 meeting. The public had 15 minutes to speak prior to closed session at 3 p.m., another 15 minutes to speak at the start of the meeting at 4 p.m., and then an unlimited amount of time to speak at the end of the meeting. While this seemed unusual to those who were used to just having one opportunity for public comment during the meeting, Lynne O’Neil, Coachella Valley Immigrant Dignity Coalition spokeswoman and retired attorney living in Palm Springs, said this was not unusual.

“Sometimes when they know we are coming, councils will make it a prolonged event to deter people from coming,” O’Neil said. “So it’s not surprising, it’s something we are used to…I am more than pleased though that people came out to participate in the democratic process and talk about kindness and diversity.”

A handful of speakers said it wasn’t made clear to them prior to the meeting that the council would be listening to public comments at 3 p.m., prior to closed session, as the first “oral communications” item on the agenda was followed by a “closed session items” notation.

A guard escorts an immigrant detainee from his 'segregation cell' back into the general population at the Adelanto Detention Facility on November 15, 2013 in Adelanto, California. Most detainees in segregation cells are sent there for fighting with other immigrants, according to guards. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility houses an average of 1,100 immigrants in custody pending a decision in their immigration cases or awaiting deportation. The average stay for a detainee is 29 days. The facility is managed by the private GEO Group. ICE detains an average of 33,000 undocumented immigrants in more than 400 facilities nationwide.(Photo: John Moore, Getty Images)

Others, including Miller, were displeased with Palm Desert Mayor Sabby Jonathan's attempt to steer the conversation away from the upcoming election.

Alan Carvalho of Cathedral City charged during the meeting that councilwoman Jan Harnik’s campaign ads for Riverside County Supervisor have stoked immigration fears in the community. As Carvalho began to speak, though, Jonathan said public comment is a chance to discuss city business, not to address political campaigns.

Carvalho argued that as Harnik is a councilmember running for a county seat, it made it the business of everyone in the valley. “You have a councilmember running for office and that affects our community,” Carvalho said. “It’s public comment, I didn’t know there was a limit to my free speech.”

Carlos Pineda of Palm Desert also denounced Harnik's ads, which showed a handful of criminals who were mostly non-white men.

Regardless of which side each speaker was on, all wanted more empathy and action from their city leaders. Miller said he will continue to show up to meetings, next time with more people in tow.

After hearing fearful comments from more than 20 residents of Palm Desert and Riverside County on both sides of the issue, Palm Desert Mayor Sabby Jonathan concluded saying the reason so many immigrants flock to America is because it is a “place that is safe” that allows for free speech, and he was thankful for that.

Desert Sun reporter Nicole Hayden covers the cities of La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert. She can be reached at Nicole.Hayden@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4623. Follow her on Twitter @nicoleandpig